Knockdown crate or box



J. L. WEBER.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE'OR BOX, APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1920.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

, 2 SHEETS S u nm N lNl/E/VTOR JLJ/l eber A TTORIIEYS iTAGOB L. WEBER, or CH CAGO, ILLINOIS.

KNOGKDOWN ona'rn on Box.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 19, 1920. SeriaI No. 352,283.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB L. WEBER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inKnockdown Crates or Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in knock down crates, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrange ments herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a knock down or collapsible crate having sides and a partition which may be swung parallel to the top and bottom when the crate is folded and which not only perform their obvious functions when the crate is set up but also maintainthe same in its set up or operative position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that is strong and durable in construction, light in weight, andrwhich can be manufactured cheaply.

A further, object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which can be set up or folded easily and quickly and which will occupy but a small space when folded.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel means of holding the device in its folded condition.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

. My invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, forming, part of this ap-.

plication, in which-- Figure 1 1s a top plan view of the device in set up or operative condition,

Fig. 2 is a slde elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device, the. dotted lines indicating a position assumed by a gate when opened, Y

Fig. 4 is a section along the line 1 1 of F i 1 Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the device in its collapsed condition, y

Fig. 7 is a section alongtheline 77 of Fig. 6,

Fi 8 is a top view of a portion of a modified orm of the device in extended position,

Patented sepeei, 1920.

Fig. 9 is a top view of portion of a modified form of the device in extended position.

In carryin out my invention in its preferred formfT provide similar end sections, similar side sections, a top section, a bottom section, a gate hingedlyv fastened tothe top section, indicated in general at A, B, G,

D, and E respectively, and a partition F.

Theend'. sections A comprise upper portions 1 and lower portions 2 held together by hinges 3. The top section C comprises a rectangular frame 4 to which side portions 5 and end portions 6 are secured. Slots 7 are cut in the frame 4;, the slotted sides of the frame' l being covered, and reinforced Strips 9 are secured-to the by plates 8. I under side ofthe frame 4: as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanyingdrawings. The

strips 9 strengthen the top section, C .and

provide a supporting base for the gate E when the latter is in closed position. The

gate E comprises longitudinal slats 10 se-' cured to cross bars 11. The cross bars 11 have grooves 12 adapted to re ister-with the grooves 7 in the frame 4., over plates 13v are provided-for the grooved portionsfof cross bars 11. which is preferably of the same Width as the slats 10 and of the sameclength as the; top,

section C, is slidably disposed within the registering grooves 7 and 12 and thus main tains the gate in closed position against the "hereafter set forth. The closure 14: is with-- drawn from the grooves 7 and 12 to al low the gate E to be swung upwardly upon its hinges 16 and the contents of the crate.

removed Or, a part of the contents of the A removable closure 14:,

crate may be removed through the aperture formed by removing the closure l lwithout opening the gate or disturbingthe remainder of the contents of the crate.

The bottom section D is preferably formed of alsolid panel 17, upwardlyextending side portions 18, upwardly extending end portions 19, and bottom cleats 20. The side sec-.

tions Bare fastened by hinges 21 to the side portions 5 of the. top section C andmaybe swung downwardly against the upwardly extending side portions 18 of the bottom section D. Thej'partition F is hingedly; fastened at 22 to the bottom section D (see Fig. 4) and may be swung upwardly until parallel with the end section A When the crate is in operative position. The spring locking member 15 holds the partition F in this position and the partition F in turn maintains the side sections 13 in operative position and also divides the crate into two compartments. The end sections A are fastened to the top section C and the bottom section D by hinges 23 as shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. I

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The crate is held in its knock down or collapsed condition as shown in 5 and 7 when the closure 14: is inserted through U-shaped keepers 24 which are pivotally fastened at 25 to the bottom section D as shown in Fig. 7 so that they may be swung downwardly against the bottom D and out of the way. It is to be understood that the closure 14 is at the same time disposed within the grooves 7 and, 12 to hold the gate E in closed position. To put the crate in extended or operative position, the closure 14 is withdrawn in the manner previously described, the keep ers 2d are swung downwardly against the bottom of the crate, the top section C is lifted upwardly thus swinging the end sections A outwardly until they are in upright position. T he side sections 15 are now swung downwardly against the upwardly extending portions of the bottom section D. The partition ii is swung upwardly untilparallel with the end sections A in which position it is held by the spring locking member 15. The partition F holds the. side sections B downwardly and consequently the crate is maintained in its set up'or operative position. When the crate has been filled, the gate E is closed and fastened in that position in the manner described.

It will be noted that the removable closure 14 has'a triple function. t serves as .closure, as a means of holding the gate closed, and as a means when engaged by the U-shaped keepers of holdmg the crate in its collapsed condition. In Fig. 8, I have shown the top section 30 of a modified form of the device. The top section 30is made up of slats as shown and is adapted for use without a gate. A removable closure 31 is provided and is operated in the same manner as theremovable closure 14 in the device shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 9 I have shown the top section of a modified form of the device. in this form, the device is made 11131111 the form of a box. 'A remov able closure 34 is provided and 'is'operated in the usual manner. In this construction, slots 35 are provided to receive the sides of the U-shaped keepers (not shown) when the device is in knock down or collapsed condition.

It is obvious that my invention is not restricted to the form shown in the accompanying drawings but that various changes may be made without departing "from the spirit and scope of the invention. The de vice is strong and durable in construction,

light in weight, and may be manufactured cheaply. Several kinds of merchandise may be transported in the same crate without being brought into contact with each other. The device may be set up or collapsed quickly and easily. In its collapsed posi tion, it occupies a relatively small space and may be stored away in tiers.

It will be noted that a longitudinal plate 3 is secured to the inner lower edge of each upper portion 1 of the end sections A. he plates 3 cover the hinged connections between the upper portions 1 and the lower portions 2 of the end sections A and strengthen the latter when the crate is in its set up condition.

I claim:

1. A collapsible crate comprising a top, a removable closure slidably disposed in said top, a bottom, collapsible ends hingedly connected to said top and said bottom and fold ing inwardly to permit the crate to be collapsed, sides hingedly connected at their upper longitudinal edges to said top to permit the former being swung upwardly into parallel 'alinement with said top and said bottom, a transverse partition hingedly connected to said bottom and normally maintained in upright position to hold said sides in operative position, a locking me her carried by said top to maintain said partition in upright position, and U-shaped keepers hingedly secured to said bottom and adapted to receive the slidably disposed closure in said top to hold the crate in collapsed condition.

2. A collapsible crate comprising a top, a gate hingedly secured thereon, a removable closure slidably disposed in said top ant. said former being swung upwardly into parallel alinement with said top and said bottom, a trans\-'erse partition hingedly connected to said bottom and normally maintained in upi. position to hold said sides in operative position, alocking member carried by said top to maintain said partition in ugright position, and U-shaped keepers hingedly secured to said. bottom and adapted to receive the slidably disposed closure in said top to hold the crate in collapsed condition.

JA @013 L. WEBER. 

